A reader responds to an earlier post:
I became a teacher because I love to learn. Leonard Bernstein said, “When I learn, I teach. When I teach, I learn.” This statement has always held true for me. Teaching is my third career. I worked with non-profits for 7 years, practiced law for 10 years, then entered teaching in my 40’s. I have been teaching for 16 years in an urban public school.
Do I love my students? As teacher1blog notes, this develops over time. I love exchanging ideas with them, and helping them learn to become better readers and writers. I think they deserve an excellent education.
I wish all the “reformers” in suits would work on things that would help make that possible, such as adequate health care and decent housing.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Diane- Thanks for continuing to post these comments. They actually inspired a post on my own blog today. “Hey Chris Christie, this is why I teach (not that you asked)”. http://phillyteacherman.blogspot.com/2012/08/hey-chris-christie-this-is-why-i-teach.html
I echo many of the sentiments that this poster mentions about loving to learn and developing relationships with my students.
It’s not about “saving the children” or changing the world. Those are recipes for disillusionment, burnout and disappointment.
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I am honored to be affiliated with so many fine dedicated people! It is exciting in my K-12 school to see how our kids change over the years. I am now getting children of former students. I can now tell them a bit about their moms and dads.
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I became a teacher because of Robert and Isaac specifically, two boys I was in elementary school with and then Robert and I were in junior high together at least in 7th grade. The three of us were from “dysfunctional” homes and the boys hated school in general and reading in particular. I could not imagine that anyone hated reading, as it was my lifeline – it took me to places where I was safe or where I could forget my parents’ horrible fights. Reading opened new worlds for me and I loved it.
When we were in 7th grade, Robert and I sat at the same grouping of desks. We were assigned to read a 2-page work by Mark Twain. I devoured it. Mrs. Paige walked over to me and told me to read the assignment and when I said I had, she did not believe me (none of the other students was finished). Robert told her she could ask any question of me about the reading and I’d be able to answer it; he knew I’d read it because he had watched me.
I couldn’t believe he had defended me first of all (we were not close friends for one thing and students didn’t say anything to teachers for the second thing) and I couldn’t believe he hadn’t read the assignment.
Robert’s defense of me cemented my desire at the age of 12 to become a teacher. I wanted to teach children to read, to learn to love reading the same way I did and still do. I wanted to teach children that school is not a place to dislike; it is a place to be safe, a place to make friends, a place to develop relationships with others, and a place to learn – to be educated.
I believe in the power of education, of learning – and of being a teacher passionate about his or her job and students so as to be advocates for the students. A friend told me that nothing great is accomplished without passion and I totally agree. We need teachers who are passionate about what they do and who they teach. Our students deserve an excellent education (not schooling); teachers who are passionate will help students get an excellent education.
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